Ryan Foland speaks with entrepreneur, motivational speaker and magician Vinh Giang. Winner of the South Australia Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, Vinh left his professional career to create a platform to teach magic to students from around the globe. In this episode of our COVID-19 special series, Ryan and Vinh discuss the state of the speaking industry in the COVID-19 situation that we're all in. Vinh shares his story about the path he took to take his venture online, the hurdles that he faced and how he was eventually successful. One of the key messages in this interview is to adapt to the situation and realize that your content may need tweaking. If you are able to break your content into modules and deliver them virtually, companies still have budgets for that these days. Tune in for an interview chock full of insights on how to pivot to virtual, to adapt in these testing times of COVID-19.

Ryan Foland speaks with Charlie Mechem, an expert on effective communication with over 60 years of speaking experience. In this special edition podcast, Charlie offers advice for speakers who now have to operate in a time where there is civil unrest. It is an open and powerful conversation. Many speakers are anxious about what is going to happen in the future, and this can lead to immobility, but you can acknowledge that the world is changing, and you can be part of that change or you can resist that change. In this podcast, Ryan and Charlie encourage speakers to be patient during these challenging time, to take this opportunity to work in and on their business, to work on making their content relevant, to not give up, and to have a sense of humor along the way.

Ryan Foland speaks with Samantha Kelly, the Tweeting Goddess, a leading expert on building community through Twitter. She has been using Twitter to create networks of support through the hashtag #SelfIsolationHelp. In this episode of our COVID-19 special series, Ryan and Samantha dive into what speakers can do to build their community online during quarantines and lockdowns. They give practical advice on how to engage with pre-existing communities or build one yourself. One of the key messages in this interview is to start looking for ways that you can add value to audiences, whether it is with support, insights, or simply, authenticity. Tune-in for an interview chock full of insights on how to build community now, which will help support and serve you in the future.

Handling difficult financial situations. Ryan Foland speaks with Winnie Sun, the Managing Director of Sun Group Wealth Partners. A leading financial expert, she is a CNBC Financial Advisor Council Member and a “top advisor” speaker at national industry events. In this episode of our COVID19 special series, Ryan and Winnie dive into what speakers can do to get on their feet financially in troubling times. Whether you have prepared for an emergency situation or not, whether you are still getting paid or not, this interview has many insights on what you can do right now to set yourself up for the future. One of the key messages in this interview is to start looking at a plan B, plan C and plan D. Start looking at how you can build your business and make money right now, instead of holding out and waiting for this difficult situation to be over Tune in for an interview chock full of insights on how to get your finances on the right track and use this time to build for the future.

Rebubble, reinvent, and make the transition. Ryan Foland speaks with Brian Fanzo, an innovative thought leader and global expert on transitioning to digital and live video. In this episode of our COVID19 special series, they look at how to rebubble and reinvent right now. One of the key messages in this interview is the need for transparency — the more transparent you are today, the easier it will be for you to adapt to uncalculated change and failure tomorrow. Tune in for a rapid-fire interview, chock full of insights on the future of the speaking industry and the role digital will play.

Ryan Foland speaks with Shep Hyken, Mary Drumond and Dan Gingiss, the global leading experts on customer service. In this episode of our COVID19 special series—they look at what has, and hasn’t, changed when it comes to offer great customer service to your audiences and event planners. One of the key messages in this interview is to cultivate empathy—the best customer service comes from being able to understand how your customers feels and what they need. Tune in for an interview chock full of insights on how to be not only a memorable speaker, but a leader, during this time.

We are looking for ways to help our speakers and event organizers cope with the changes, and have connected with some of the top experts we have in our network. In this special series, we interview speaking experts on how to navigate the Coronavirus as a professional speaker. Ryan Foland speaks with Josh Linkner, an expert on professional speaking, innovation, and thought leadership. In this fast-moving, insight-heavy interview, they discuss 3 key topics: - How to level-up and use this downtime to learn more, focus on your health, recharge, and reconnect - What expert speakers are doing right now to build their businesses, and how innovation and hard work now can have big payoffs down the line. - The future of professional speaking for the rest of 2020 and post-coronavirus.

Ryan Foland speaks with Mitch Jackson, a lawyer and expert speaker and lawyer. In this special episode of World of Speakers, Mitch and Ryan discuss COVID-19, or the Coronavirus, and what implications it can have for speakers, events, and attendees. They will explore what your rights are, what to do moving forward, and the importance of remaining human during such troubling times. We would just like to be clear in stating that while Mitch Jackson is a lawyer, and can give general advice that can help inspire you to find out more, it is important you review, or hire a lawyer to review, your specific contacts, waivers, and terms and conditions, and what rights you have in your country.

Connection, conviction, and Geiger counters. We never pick favourites, but some interviews are so flooded with good advice it is hard to not get excited. This is one of those interviews. Ryan sits down with Brian Burkhart, a speaker, organizer, and coach. His unique perspective enables him to share insight into the industry from all sides. Brian has coached leaders of Fortune 500 companies, TED speakers, Shark Tank contestants, and countless business professionals, helping them communicate and lead. There is specific advice for speakers at all levels, from how to be a speaker who keeps getting invited back to some hard-hitting truths for emerging speakers. Listen to this podcast to find out: 1. How determining and communicating your core beliefs can transform your ability to find the right clients and engage audiences. 2. How circular thinking while presenting can make you a better presenter. 3. Why the first 75 seconds of your presentation are crucial, and how to nail your intro by connecting with your audience. 4. Why conviction and connection are the two most essential elements for pro speakers to focus on. 5. How thinking of yourself as a Geiger counter can make you easier to work with and ensure you get hired again.

Creating experiences through empathy. Ryan Foland speaks with Laura Gallaher. Laura is an organizational psychologist, speaker, facilitator, and executive coach. She is the founder and CEO of Gallaher Edge, which she started in 2013. Laura’s key topics are self-awareness, accountability, trust-building, and team cohesion. In this insightful podcast, Ryan and Laura explore the connections between psychology, acting, professional speaking, and audience engagement. Laura also shares an innovative marketing idea which has helped her make meaningful connections and build her business. Listen to this podcast to find out: -How empathy can help you frame your talks to the specific needs of event organizers, which will help you get hired. -How creating experiences for your audiences can lead them to deeper insights, and why this is becoming essential. -How to get more speaking engagements by using social media to find commonalities, then asking for opportunities. -How to make rewarding connections by thinking outside (or in Laura’s case, inside) the box. -Dynamic, online-offline networking: Laura shares an idea on how to use customized videos to stand out from the crowd. -Some simple comedy acting tips on how to be funny on stage.